Drag Me To Hell
by Valentine Thornton
Summary: Its less than a week till Ponyboy's birthday and everybody is excited. Pony gets an early bithday present from an unexpected sorce. Bad things start to happen. Will he be able to ditch the 'gift' before he is draged down to hell?
1. Dally's Jacket

**Hey, as promised, I came back and fixed the grammar problems.**

**Though I was more than tempted, I decided not to mess with anything else. Cause, quite frankly, I miss the undetailed way I used to think when I was thirteen.**

**(Sorry if I misspelled anything!) :)**

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My birthday is only a week away, and man, am I anxious.

Darry and Sodapop said that they'd dig up some extra money, that way we could go somewhere fun on my birthday.

…

"It sure is hot in august," Darry said, wiping some of the sweat from his brow. "Maybe for your birthday we could head on down to the public pool and have ourselves a little party." Darry- who was standing at the kitchen counter, spreading mayonnaise on a slice of bread- drops his knife. He bends over to retrieve it.

"That's not a bad idea. It's so hot; I bet that if you put on sunscreen it'll melt right off…" I said, laughing. Suddenly I realized I was the only one laughing. Shit, it wasn't funny! "Oh lord, I'm turning into Two-bit!" I cried.

Darry gives me a sympathy laugh, but he doesn't fool me.

I've been sitting at the kitchen table finishing up some homework, when I suddenly hear a knock at the door. That's weird- Nobody that we know, (knocks). If it's anybody in the gang, they just yell "hey" and run in and sit on the couch, or help themselves to whatever's in the fridge.

I thought about this as I went to answer the door.

I open the door to find Randy standing there, looking nervous. He was bouncing on his heals like he was in a rush. Like it was real important, but he had to hurry.

"Hey, Randy… what are you doing here?"

"Oh… I, uh… was just in the neighborhood and I decided to give you something, like a-a… gift" he stuttered.

I noted that he was holding a big decorated box.

This is really weird. I mean after Bob died we were sort of friends, but not good enough friends so he could just come over for no reason and give me an early birthday present.

Not that I minded.

"Uh, ok thanks." I said as he handed me the package.

Then things got even weirder. Randy starts saying some kind of chant… like… a spell.

"I, RANDY ADDERSON, REGIFT THIS TO YOU, PONYBOY CURTIS. YOU ARE NOW THE OWNER OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM!" Randy yells this and then he then runs off, like I am about to force him to take it back. Maybe I should have.

I walk back into the house, tear open the package and recoil in alarm. Its Dallas Winston's jacket!

This jacket went missing months ago! The exact day that Randy came over to talk to me while I was sick. He stole it!

Man, am I glad to have this jacket back. I can't afford a new one at the moment, and the weather is pretty unpredictable here in Tulsa. Besides after the incident in Windrixville, for some reason I feel more... I don't know, safe and not as vulnerable and small as I normally do. Almost as if I was Dallas Winston himself...

I put on the jacket, even though it's nearly 99 degrees outdoors and in. I don't care if I'm about to melt, the jacket feels right at home.

I go into the bathroom, look into the mirror, and nearly jump back at what I see. I saw a tough hood at the edges of society, a juvenile delinquent with a terrible home. I had always, deep down, somewhere in my heart, wanted to be just like Dallas and I guess now I can play pretend. And it won't be all pretend! SWEET!

I LOVE THIS JACKET!

"Hey Darry, guess what I found."

"What?"

"I found Dally's leather jacket!"

And that's how it all started…

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	2. pool parties bugs and tears?

**Chapter 2 has been fixed too.**

**wuv you! **

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Man, I love this jacket. I'm never gonna take it off!

"Ponyboy, take that goddamn coat off and get in the frickin' pool!" Steve shouts angrily.

I'm not wearing a shirt with this leather jacket.

I mean, common, how stupid would I look if I wore a shirt to the pool? I'm wearing swim trunks and a leather jacket… I feel good.

I'm not sure, but I think I might be pissing Steve off. Two days ago, Randy, came over and "regifted" Dal's jacket to me. -Why the hell did he steal it in the first place?! -

I swore to never take it off and I am a man of my word so, that's how it has to be.

It's now my birthday and, as they promised, Darry and Soda found some extra cash and we booked the public pool. At first the "gang" (Steve and Two-bit) was pissed at the fact that I had actually invited socs to my 15th birthday party. But then they noticed that all the socs I had invited were the ever–so-sexy cheer squad from school. (Cherry Valance owed me one)

I nearly died laughing every time Two-bit asked Marcia if she needed help with her sun screen. Around the eighth time, rather than repeating: "No, thanks. I already have some on." she just ignored him, got up, and walked away. I swear, without his booze Two-bit really is hopeless. Maybe the only reason he even stays drunk is so he doesn't look like a screw up in front of the ladies. Maybe that's where all his comedic charm comes from. Maybe I should start drinking…

My thoughts are interrupted by one of Darry's lectures.

"Come on, Pony, you've been wearing that thing for three days now. You even showered in it and just let it dry on you. I think you should take the jacket off and join the party." He looks at me with pleading eyes. Wait a minute. _"PLEADING EYES"? _ Was Darry worried about me? What's to worry about? I'm perfectly fine. No. I am better than fine, I am fantastic!

"Besides, that thing stinks like sweat, anger, and sh-" I cut him off.

"No! Darry, I like wearing this jacket." I said, not caring what my older brother's response was.

"Just take it off already!" Darry said, losing patience.

"But-" Darry cut me off.

"No buts!" he says, crossing his arms. Ok now he is scaring me. What if he hits me, like he did that night that Bob was killed? I can't risk that again. Besides, I lie to myself so much I can barely tell what the truth is anymore.

_I lie to myself all the time, but I never believe me…_

I'm not really a man of my word, am I?

"Well, Pony, I'm waiting. Are you going to take it off willingly, or do you want me to rip it off and throw you in the pool?"

"Fine, I'll take it off!" I said getting annoyed about all of this. Besides, I didn't want Darry to rip my jacket off. I mean, that would ruin it!

I pulled off the jacket, looked down at my reflection in the pool water, and waited sadly as my little game of "Pretend to Be Dally" ended. The big tough hood that I had been seeing in the mirror for the last three days disappeared from the water's edge, being replaced with a small slim kid, with soft eyes and enough feelings to carry everyone's problems on his shoulders until they had none and were practically weightless. While on the other hand, he was the exact opposite.

I let the leather slip from my hand, sighed, and backed away from the pool. I noted that Darry was watching me. The look on his face was unreadable.

I get a running start and feel my legs lift from the ground. I pull my knees up to my chest and suddenly feel myself fully submerged under the water. I stay under for a real long time, just holding my breath, not really wanting to come up for air. I open my eyes and look around while I'm under. It's dark and quiet, like how I imagined death would be…

Suddenly, I feel arms wrapped around my waist, and someone really strong is holding me tightly, swimming to the surface of the water. I'm too confused to do anything so I just let this person resurface me. Bring me back into the harsh hands of life. I didn't really want to die anyway. I just wanted some time to think undisturbed. It hadn't crossed my mind that I could have drowned.

As I got out of the pool, I noticed the little tile on the side of the pool that said "14ft_- _6in". _Damn_, I thought, _I'm in the deep end_.

Now I'm sitting on the hot cement, clad in my soaking wet swim trunks… and that's all… I don't feel too good…

Apparently I had stayed under so long that the life guards panicked. They thought that I had died under the water. The person that had "saved" me was Darry. I should have known. There's nobody else in the entire world that was buff like that.

Only Darry…

Oh my god! Darry is crying!

"Pony!" he sobbed

Darry was crying, and Two-bit wasn't grinning. Sodapop wasn't so happy- go- lucky, and did Steve look …scared?

"PONYBOY!" they all yelled in muse.

Suddenly, Sodapop fainted flat on the tarmac. They were all staring at me as if I were from another planet.

"What? Is there something on my f-" I stopped suddenly. Something was crawling on my mouth

I reached up and lightly brushed my bottom lip.

"Holly shit! Pony, that centipede just came out of your mouth!"

I was about to say something, but suddenly I felt nauseous. I felt the hot disgusting substance fill my mouth, and could tell that I looked as green as a baby tomato.

I got sick all over myself, but I didn't bother to look down because it would make me sick all over again. Then I noticed people staring at me with wide disgusted eyes.

I looked down slowly, and nearly fainted at the sight that greeted me.

My puke was bright red… like blood. And mixed in with it, was a variety of bugs.

They were moving.

They were alive.

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	3. kit kat the cat

**Chapter 3 has also been altered**

**wuv you! **

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Some of the cheerleaders were staring at me with wide disgusted eyes. Some were leaving.

"Party's over! Everybody go home, right now!" Darry screamed.

"You don't need to tell me twice. This party is shit!" Yelled ...Randy?

Randy stormed out of the pool area, into the parking lot.

Who the fuck invited Randy? I sure as hell didn't.

This is the worst birthday ever.

And this is coming from a person who has had some pretty screwed up parties.

But this one was supposed to be different. Everything, and when I say everything, I mean, EVERYTHING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT! I even talked Two-bit into not getting drunk. Now that… was a task.

But Dallas always gets what he wants. That's why I wear his jacket. It makes me feel ... tuff. No. Not tuff.

TOUGH.

...

I'm at home, sitting on the couch. I'm opening the presents that I got. Darry and Soda are in the kitchen, discussing whether or not to take me to a doctor.

No wonder everybody says I'm so brainy.

Because I had this well thought out.

Since the only people I had invited were "socy cheerleaders" then you bet your ass that they're all gonna bring presents.

EXPENSIVE presents!

The first one I opened was from Two-bit. I figured I should open his first. Besides, he always brings entertaining gifts. When I turned thirteen, he gave me a whole box of condoms!

I don't think its condoms this year though. The box is twice the size of a shoebox and it's kind of heavy. There's a piece of paper taped to the side that says "fragile".

I gently opened the box… and I squealed with delight.

There was a little brown fuzz ball.

"Aw, Two-bit, thank you so much! You got me a little kitten!" I was so psyched "I'm going to love him, and feed him, and call him KIT-KAT!"

"Two-bit" Darry called from the kitchen. "Get in here!"

Darry sounded angry. But about what? Two-bit getting me a cat?

How come every time I have the chance to be happy, it gets ruined by Darry? I mean, it's so obvious that everything happens because of him.

If he hadn't have told me to take my jacket off, the party wouldn't have fucked up.

If he had been paying attention, Randy wouldn't have made off with Dal's jacket. - Which by the way, I'm wearing again and I feel great!

If he had been looking out for me at the rumble I wouldn't have gotten that concussion.

If he had controlled his anger, instead of hitting me that night, I wouldn't have run away.

If he hadn't caused me to run away then Johnny wouldn't have died.

And if he hadn't caused Johnny to die...

Dallas would still be here.

It's Darry's fault.

It's all Darry's fault.

He's the reason my life is so messed up.

He caused it all.

He killed them.

But worst of all he killed _HIM_.

He killed Dallas

_"No he didn't"_

"WHO SAID THAT?!" I yelled, caught off guard.

Everyone stared at me, like I was off my rocker. Finally Two-bit spoke up.

"Said what?"

"Did anybody else hear that?" I asked.

The room went dead silent, as everyone just stared at me again.

Then Steve whispered loud enough for everybody to hear: "I think he's finally cracked."

Man, if only he had said that to Dallas. He would have been on the floor, begging for mercy.

Suddenly the voice came again. I froze.

_"Darry didn't kill me. I'm still here. I am you and you are me."_

By now I had figured out that the voice as in my head. So, I thought to myself: 'what are you talking about?'

_"You're the new Dallas Winston."_

I felt a huge jolt in my body. Then I was trapped.

I tried to scream, but I couldn't control my own voice anymore.

I tried to get up off the couch but my body wouldn't move.

I had no control. If I did, I would be thrashing around, screaming and crying.

But I just sat there, looking as cool as Dallas ever did.

So I gave in. Instead of fighting it, I accepted it, as if it were a choice.

Besides, Dallas deserves to live on... Even if it's in my body.

I'm the new Dallas Winston, AND I'M GONNA LIKE IT!

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	4. the ultimate bloody nose

**I rectified the hell out of this chapter!**

**wuv you! **

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_I'm lying on my bed next to soda, trying to fall asleep, as about a billion thoughts race through my head._

_I close my eyes, and even out my breathing. The weird thing is that I don't even know what I'm thinking. I try to remember what had gotten me so worked up, but I just can't figure it out._

_I hear a buzzing sound. I feel something lightly moving across my face. _

_I assumed that it was just a pesky fly that came through the window. So I wave my hand and it fly's away._

_I start to drift off again._

_The fly came back. But this time I didn't wave it away instead I ignored it. That was a dumb idea._

_I thought it was all over, and I could finally catch so Z's. But then I felt something go inside my nose. It went all the way back. I sat up in bed, carefully, so not to wake Soda._

_The fly was inside my head and I couldn't get it out. I could actually feel it buzzing around in my skull. _

_Then there's a boom of thunder, and a flash of lightning even though it's not raining._

_There's a face in the window. But not just any face. It was Dallas. The window flew open suddenly, and he hadn't even touched it. He climbed through the window._

_And it was then that I noticed he was on fire. His skin was hanging off him in burned, bloody, strips. His once beautiful blonde hair was gone. He was bald, because the fire burned his hair out. He looked like a skeleton._

_He looked worse than anything that I had ever seen in any horror movie. _

_His mouth began to move. _

_And as he spoke, the smell of burning, rotting flesh filled the room. His voice has so horse and rough, that it sounded like rusted nails being scraped across a chalkboard._

_'I died, so you could live. _

_I was your hero, you were my buddy._

_We together, are one._

_Our souls are one.' _

_I was frozen in fear, as I watched him disappear into the fire._

_I felt my head fall back into the pillow, and the darkness consumed me…_

_The nightmare scared me so bad; I had stayed up all night and hadn't gone to bed till after four. I'm as tired as shit._

I opened my eyes slowly so they could adjust to the light. I jumped out of me and soda's bed to get dressed for school. When I got fully dressed, I noticed Kit-Kat sleeping on the bed. Seeing the little animal lying there all curled up, reminded me about the current situation I was in. I was not in control any more. Well… actually, I was sort of in control. I had to remember to keep my cool and don't freak out. I have to be brave at all times. Don't do anything that Dallas wouldn't. I'm not allowed to cry or show any emotion. In other words I actually have to be Dallas Winston. If I show any emotion I lose control again. And Dallas will take the wheel, until I calm down enough to actually be me. Err- him. You get what I'm saying right?

…

"Mr. Curtis, where is that theme? It's well over the deadline, of which you were supposed to turn it in."

I'd been dreading this day.

I hadn't forgotten about the theme. In fact, it had been finished for quite some time now, and I was going to turn it in. But, Dallas won't let me. He thinks that doing what the teachers say is overrated.

"Why don't you get somebody else to waste their time writing? I don't have time for shit like that. Get off my ass about it!"

What am I saying? You can't talk to a teacher like that.

"Mr. Curtis, go see the principal, now!"

"Whatever."

I walked down the hall to the principal's office.

…

"Ponyboy, sit down."

Nobody tells Dallas Winston what to do.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stand."

"Fine. Now, Mr. Curtis, What you said was way out of line and- OH MY GOD!"

The principle's eyes got so big I thought that they would fall out of his head.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Your nose… I –it's bleeding!"

He grabbed a tissue and tried to hand it to me.

I grabbed hold of my nose to stop the flow of blood. But as soon as I squeezed it shut, an explosion erupted from my nose and sprayed all over the principal.

"OH MY GOD!" I screamed as I ran out of the office.

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	5. hall of mirrors

**This was my favorite chapter to write and it was just as much fun to fix!**

**wuv you! **

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I ran out of the principal's office, and down the hall.

I'm not going to stay here any longer. I'm going home.

As I ran down the hall I spotted Randy. He was casually leaning up against the locker, looking straight at me. But something isn't right. His eyes are so blue. I had never paid any attention to the color of his eyes before, but I don't remember him having blue eyes.

It's so startling that I walk over to him, slowly. Cautiously, because I was getting that same creepy feeling that I got when me and Johnny walked into the church in Windrixville. Man, what was it called again?

Premonition.

As I approached him, my eyes never left his. It was then I noticed that look on his face, a look that I had seen so many times before. It was the look I got from the Sheldon's every time I walk by their house on the way to school.

That looks of hatred.

That looks of greed,

Gluttony,

Lust,

Wrath,

Envy,

And Pride.

Randy was gazing at me with a look that said: I want revenge!

Then things got really weird.

Suddenly Randy's blue eyes get bigger. There is an eerie bright glow coming from them. And they start to pulsate. As I stare deeply into these beautiful blue orbs of light, there's a strange thing happening inside of my head. It's as if somebody has built a wall and trapped my thoughts. I feel like I'm outside of my body. I can't feel anything. I'm completely numb.

I couldn't think.

I couldn't speak.

I couldn't even move!

The room starts fading to black. And the last thing I can see before I'm completely consumed by the darkness is Randy's blue eyes. Which have now returned to their normal color. Brown.

Just like Johnny's eyes.

What's going on?

I know I didn't black out because I'm still standing. I don't know how I know, I can't feel it. But I can tell.

Somehow.

It may be dark, but it isn't silent. I can hear my thoughts and emotions, trying to break through the stone wall which has been built to keep them imprisoned. I can also hear a voice. But not just any voice,

It's the voice of Randy Adderson.

_'Bob Sheldon was more than just a friend to me. He was like my brother._

_He already had enough problems as it was, and then your little friend had to go and make things worse._

_Bob had a lot of sins, and he was going to ask forgiveness from god. But he wanted to have just a little more fun before that happened. So he jumped you and Johnny at the fountain. But Bob took things too far and told David to drown you. He never wanted to, but Bob made him._

_When Johnny stabbed Bob any chance he had left was gone. So now, thanks to Johnny, Bob is burning in hell as we speak._

_I want revenge! And since I can't get Johnny, I guess that leaves you. Ponyboy Curtis I've put a curse on you! '_

I could see a bright light at the end of a long tunnel. And I know they say to never go to the light, but it was my only escape from the darkness that surrounded me.

I could move again. I started to walk toward the light, but when I took a step there was nothing there. I was falling and there was nothing to catch me.

I fell for what felt like forever, but suddenly I was on the ground again.

I could still see the bright light, but it was fading away.

I didn't waste any time, I started running to the light.

I was only a few feet away.

So, I close my eyes, and feel the sun on my face as I step out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of my own subconscious.

When I opened my eyes I wasn't in the school hallway any more, and randy was gone. I look around, and all I can see…

…Is me.

I'm trapped in a hall of mirrors.

An ice cold wind comes from out of nowhere.

I instinctively zip up my leather jacket.

What the hell!?

I didn't put on Dally's jacket today, I left it at home.

It's then that I notice something in the mirror completely different from what I normally see when I put on Dally's jacket.

Normally, I see myself, only I have what I had never had before, and that is strength. I'm not talking about brawn like what Darry has. I'm talking about hope, for something better. Support, so even if I'm alone, I'm not. Potential, so I can achieve whatever I want. Normally when I put on Dally's jacket I see:

Power

Force

Might.

But now when I looked in the mirror, I saw:

Someone who's been to hell and back. Someone who has lost too many battles. Someone who tries to stay strong for the ones he loves. This person has so many scars; even though I can't see them I can feel them.

A tough hood on the edge of society.

When I looked in the mirror:

I had hair that was almost white, it was so blonde.

It fell across my forehead in wisps', and kicked out in the back in tufts, and curled behind my ears and along the nape of my neck.

I had ears like a lynx.

My eyes were what scared me. They were BLUE!

Blazing, ice-cold with a hatred of the whole world.

When I looked in the mirror…

I saw Dallas…

Suddenly I feel a door open up in the back of my mind, and new thoughts flood in.

But they aren't mine. These belong to someone else.

I can remember things that I never even experienced.

I can remember hearing things that I never even heard.

I can remember seeing things that I never saw.

I can remember smelling things I never smelled before.

I can remember tasting things I never tasted.

I can remember feeling things I never felt before.

I've felt pain like no other. I've seen things that would scare you for life.

I've done things, which would make my parents turn over in their graves.

I really have become Dallas.

I'm Dallas

And Dallas is me,

He lives inside me

I see everything he sees. I've done everything Dallas has. And yet I haven't.

…Tougher, colder, meaner.

There were black dots at the edges of my vision. I just stared at myself in the mirror, as the black dots grew larger and larger.

That's all I remember before I blacked out.

Poverty and violence. A household devoid of warmth and comfort make an education impossible and insanity inevitable.

Children so alone, so deprived cannot rise above the deprivation and will fill our jail cells.

But who are the criminals?

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	6. not a stranger

**This was one of thoes chapters that when I went back and read over it... I was... SHOCKED... **

**wuv you! **

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I sat up quickly and looked around. And as I did, I realized

I'm not in Tulsa anymore.

Where the hell am I?

There were mountains. Mountains of fire. And the cry of lost souls came from -god –knows- where! The sky was the color of blood and the air surrounding you stank something fierce.

I know that smell… but how?

I jumped up off the scorching hot ground and started running. I'm running because the ground is so hot, that if I stand in one spot for too long I'm afraid the soles of my shoes will melt. Then Darry would have to buy me new ones. I don't want to be any more of a burden than I already am.

I don't know how long I ran but I suddenly noticed how thirsty I was getting. I slowed down to catch my breath.

"It's so hot" I thought out loud. I suddenly noticed the sweat pouring out of me like crazy. I was literally sweating buckets!

I stopped running altogether, forgetting about my shoes. I didn't want to get heatstroke. I'd be even more of a burden than I would if my shoes melted. MY SHOES!

I looked down and started freaking out. Darry's going to kill me!

More than the soles melted. The entire shoe had burned! I didn't notice though because it was already so hot, that the fire against my feet was cooler than the air around me.

The air…

I remember the smell in the air… when I had that dream.

_And as he spoke, the smell of burning, rotting flesh filled the room._ **(This is a sentence from chapter four.)**

Then I heard his voice.

_"You know exactly where you are. _

_You know exactly why you're here. _

_You know exactly who I am._

_But who are you?_

_You know exactly what you must do._

_And you also know exactly why you must do it._

_But how exactly are you to fulfill your destiny,_

_Before everything that you see goes fading into memory?"_

Dallas Winston …

I heard his voice again. Only this time…

_His voice was so horse and rough, that it sounded like rusted nails being scraped across a chalkboard._ **(This is a sentence from chapter four.)**

… His voice was clear and beautiful. I could have sworn it was Jesus himself talking to me.

Then out of the fire,

He's there.

Standing in front of me, was…

He was beautiful.

_His skin was hanging off him in burned, bloody, strips._

His skin shined like thousands of diamonds. The blinding light from the fire surrounding us,

Aint got nothin' on…

_His once beautiful blonde hair was gone. He was bald, because the fire burned his hair out._

He had blonde hair that outshined everything I could think of. So long that it hung to oblivion.

He walked soundlessly. In a manner that was so graceful, I thought he was floating.

He was wearing a long black cloak that came down over his bare feet.

As he walked toward me, with his hair… his long, beautiful, hair blowing in the hot wind that had come out of nowhere, I had only one thought in my head:

…Dallas Winston.

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	7. DALLAS WINSTON? not Jesus?  are u sure?

**This was one of thoes chapters that when I went back and read over it... I was... SHOCKED... **

**wuv you! **

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Dallas Winston.

I only stood there in complete shock and awe, as the beautiful godlike creature walked toward me.

He had cold blue eyes.

And they were the coldest bluest eyes in the world.

So cold, that I wasn't even sure if I could feel the heat anymore.

And as he spoke, I almost cried.

"Ponyboy,"

I am not worthy...

"You have been…" and as he said the last three words, "…damned to hell." I had nothing to say.

…I don't deserve to have him look at me.

"Kid…" he looked away for a minute. Then he looked down. This sudden head motion caused locks of his golden hair to drape over his face. I couldn't even see his face anymore.

I couldn't do anything but stare because, if I didn't know any better…

If it were anyone else, I'd think, they were crying, and I would go comfort them.

But this is Dallas Winston, and

Dally doesn't cry.

He forgot how at an early age.

"Yeah kid, I did, and now I'm remembering how." I'd never seen an angle cry before.

But it didn't seem right.

"Kid," the angel said through tears. "I am no angel."

The truth of that last statement hit me hard.

Dallas was right. He's not an angel. In fact he was the exact opposite.

He jumped little kids, went out of his way to break laws. He lied, cheated and stole. And he'd kill you if you provoked him.

Dallas Winston isn't an angel.

Dallas lifted his head up, and I could see the tears flowing down his face.

I noticed something strange. He was smiling.

It started as just a light in his eyes, but then the laughter spread throughout his entire body. And before I knew it, I was laughing too.

We were in hell.

"So Dallas," I had a few questions for him because I was still confused about a billion things. "If you aren't angel then what are you?"

Dallas chuckled. That was the best sound I had ever heard.

"I'm the Devil." Did he just say what I think he said?

"You are?"

"Yeah" I didn't know what exactly I could say, without sounding slightly disturbed.

"Its ok kid you don't have to say anything." Ok that was freaky! I wish he wouldn't do that. "I understand" he said the last two words, responding to both my silence and my previous thoughts.

"Could you maybe stop doing that?" I didn't want you yell: "CUT IT OUT DALLAS! YOU'RE SCARING THE SHIT OUT OF ME!" because he's the devil. And god knows what he would do to me.

"Stop what?" he asked with a smirk on his face. Ok he knows damn well what I'm talking about. That irritated and amused me at the same time.

"When we're talking out loud for a long time, don't just pop into my head like that! It freaks me out!" Dallas laughed again.

"Hey," he looked at me incredulously. "Devils gotta have fun too."

"Oh Dallas" I laughed.

After all that Dallas said he had something important to tell me.

His hand grasped my arm, and I instantly knew what this was all about.

Just as I had become Dallas Winston, I now must become death.

I have to go back to earth and collect souls…

And then bring then back to Dallas.

I work for the Devil now. And Dallas is the devil. And now I work for him. I'm working for Dallas. Dallas is in hell. But not the kind of hell you read about in books, and you see in movies. But a hell that feels like nothing but a place. A place that I belong. I belong in hell.

I…

…I let them die…

Mom, dad, Johnny, Dallas…

It's my fault, that they're dead.

It's my fault that they went wherever they went.

I could have stopped my mother and father from leaving the house that night.

If I hadn't run into that church in Windrixville Johnny would still be alive.

If Johnny hadn't died Dallas would still be alive.

And if Dallas was still alive he wouldn't be… the Devil.

… I don't want to do this…

I don't want to take people's souls.

I don't want to end lives.

"You won't technically be taking lives. They'll already be dying. You're just collecting the souls and taking them to either heaven or hell." Dallas let go of my arm.

I still didn't want to do it. I would have to watch all those people die.

Dallas looked at me "too late."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN TOO LATE?" I stood there in complete shock as Dallas explained. According to Dallas since he touched me, I have the mark of death upon me.

The mark of death is upon me.

"I'm sending you back now"

I start to slip away, and I tried to hold on because…

I had a strange thought at that moment: Dallas and Johnny were connected in every way-Except, they were complete opposites. But since Dallas is the devil,

What is Johnny?

"Whenever you want to come back just think of me and you'll be here. Or I'll come to you." As he says these words he is farther and farther away.

I can feel myself falling and I can't see him anymore. All I can see is the dark.

The last thing I heard him say was:

"Start with something small, - like a cat."

What did he mean?

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**Review**


	8. Task accepted Normal life Over

**Hey, it's been a while. Just so you know, the song you should listen to while you read this is "_Like You" _ by Evanescence. I LUVVVV THEM!**

**BTW. I'm gonna go back and fix the first 4 chapters whenever I have the time. I had just started writing, so... I was just terrible! I'm a bit better now, ut not by much. **

**ANYWAY, CHAPTER 10! DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AFTER U READ! THE REVIEWS ARE WHY I WRITE FANFICTION!**

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Something small… like a cat!

After Dallas had said that I started to wonder if it was really happening. Maybe this was all a creation of my overactive imagination. Maybe this is all a hallucination due to the server blood loss from that freak nosebleed. I'm so gullible that I can fool myself. God, I'm nothing more than a plaything for my own mind…

Oh wait. That's right… I'm also Dallas…

Well, on the bright side of things, if that really was a dream then I don't have to worry about being the devil's personal errand runner. -Hmm… I don't know if that's the proper term for it… I'll think about-

"_You don't honestly think you're gonna get off that easily, do you? Because the Ponyboy Curtis I know is a bit brainier than that." _

My heart skipped a beat. – I'm pretty sure that I jumped, but I can't be sure. It's hard to tell what my body is doing when my soul is floating in random space. I haven't made it back to earth yet… you know what, that's kind of funny! People are always saying things like, "Hell on Earth" and "To Hell and Back" When really, in reality they don't know what the fuck they're talking about. They don't know what hell is. Hell, I barely know! After all I was only there for, what? Definitely no more than 10 minutes. Plus I wasn't even condemned, so I most likely didn't even go to the part of hell that you supposedly "burn for all eternity". But, still, that part that I went to was more than enough hell for me! I can only imagine what those poor sin-soiled souls are gonna have to go through. - Whew!

God, I am in some deep shit!

How did this even begin?

Oh, right. I remember now. Randy cursed me with the jacket. Actually half of it was kinda fun. I got to be Dallas for a little while. Dream- fucking-come true! I don't know, maybe I ought to take the jacket off when I get back. After all, it is the cause of all this, right? No, Randy's the cause of all this.

So… do I… take out Randy?

OH MY GOSH! WHY AM I THINKING LIKE THIS?

"_It's your own fault, stupid."_

How is it my fault?

"_If you hadn't been idolizing me in the first place this wouldn't have happened. You would still be a normal kid, except for the fact that Randy would put that curse on you. You know, me and the curse have almost nothing to do with each other. So, to put it bluntly, the fact that you became death is your entire fault,"_ Dally's voice pauses. When he resumes talking his voice takes on a more sullen tone.

"_Things could have turned out differently, you know. Things SHOULD have turned out different. It should be Johnny doing my bidding! That little scamp was always following me around in my past life. He was always tryin' to get my attention; always tryin' to impress me… you know he went to heaven right? Yeah, he did. He made it." _

I started to feel my body come back to me just as I caught Dally's last sentence.

"_He's doin' a lot better there than he ever did on earth…"_

…

I was lying with my head in Sodapop's lap. My eyes are closed… I can't open them; they're heavy as a fucking anvil!

My head hurts. It hurts like hell, and all of Two-bit's freaked out yammering isn't making it any better.

"…Then, Sylvia, walks in out of nowhere and says that she knows what's going on,"

"Sylvia? That broad that Dally was goin' with? What the hell would she know about all this?" Sodapop sounds confused and worried. Something tells me that the fact that I can't open my eyes might be worrying him even more.

"I'll get to that in a minute! Now she says that Ponyboy… is cursed!"

Suddenly I completely regained control of my body. - I guess it was the shock that Two-bit had actually said something relevant for the first time in his life.-My eyes lids shot up like benison blinds and the rest of me followed suit.

I twisted around and leaned into the couch, setting my bare feet on the cold wood floor. Sodapop tried to get me to lie back down but I ignored him. I was too busy wondering where my shoes were. I had to know if they were burned.

I sat up straight, ignoring the pain in my head as I did so, and looked around. My shoes were nowhere in sight. Where the hell are my shoes?

"Two-bit, what the fuck did you do with my shoes?" I asked, noticing for the first time how much my throat was burning. I'm not sure what surprised Two-bit more, my hoars voice or the fact that the first sentence I said to him that day contains an F-bomb.

_'Get used to it Two-bit,'_ I thought to myself. _ 'I'm Dallas Winston, and I will not be fucking censored!'_

"Whoa, whoa, cool ya' jets, Pony!"

"Your shoes are out there, Ponyboy," Sodapop says, pointing at the front door. "We had to put em' out there… we don't know what happened to em'…"

I jumped up and ran out onto the porch. My shoes were sitting next to the door. The shoes were as black as Johnny's hair. - Maybe even blacker…

Well that's all the proof I need to tell me that this is more than just a hallucination.

I should probably tell Darry and Soda about this now that I know it's not just in my head. But then again, Darry already has to buy me some new shoes; I don't want him to have to waste any more money taking me to some sort of Psych doctor. Plus, nobody wants to have to deal with Sodapop's bawl baby antics and worrywart panicking.

"Ponyboy, get back in here, and change out of that bloody shirt before someone sees you and assumes we're serial killers!"

Well, speak of the devil…

Oh, wait, that's Dallas.

I looked down at my shirt and saw that it was covered with blood. – That was _some_ nosebleed!

Which reminds me; maybe I should take the jacket off. Maybe if I do, the crap with Randy and the curse will disappear. I mean, sure I'll still have that other junk going on with the devil- aka Dally, but at least I won't have to deal with volcanic nosebleeds and bloody, buggy vomit anymore.

Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good plan.

I unzipped the jacket and started to slide it down my arms, when I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection on the window.

I see little Ponyboy Curtis looking back at me. He's 14 years old, ginger headed, and afraid…

Afraid of what though?

Is he afraid of finally getting what he wants? Why? Is it because he's Ponyboy Curtis, and Ponyboy Curtis never gets what he wants… simply because he is Ponyboy Curtis?

Why does Dallas always get what he wants and why is my situation the opposite?

Is it because he has something that I don't? If he does then what is it? Why don't I have it?

Can I have it?

"_No."_

Why?

Answer me damn it!

WHY THE HELL CAN'T I HAVE IT?

It's not fair!

I put the jacket back on, and as expected I saw Dallas Winston staring back at me.

I may not be able to have everything that he has, but at least I can have his image! At least I can forget about fear…

Satisfied with myself, I strode back into the house and walked all the way back to my room. When I got there I changed into a clean shirt. Darry came home from work later on and Soda told him everything. Darry raised hell when I said I didn't want to go to the hospital. But that didn't matter. Besides, it's not like those stupid doctors would have found anything wrong with me.

There isn't anything wrong with me.

I'm perfect!

You know how I know I'm perfect?

Because I'm Dallas Winston, and that's all there is to it…

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I THINK IT'S TIME 4 A REVIEW! :)


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